Ollie E. Leaverette
GRANITEVILLE -- Mr. Ollie E. Leaverette, 73, of Old Cherokee Indian Road, entered into rest July 28, 2010. Funeral arrangements will be announced later. Mr. Leaverette, a native of Edgefield County, was a member of Mount Canaan Baptist Church. Su ... full story

Aiken County Recreation Center pool needs lifeguards
Deck work at the Aiken County Recreation Center pool is nearing completion, but the concern now is finding enough lifeguards to staff it once it is able to reopen. Eddins Electrical expected to finish pouring the last of the concrete decking Monday ... full story

Police ask residents to report suspicious activity to curb rash of home break-ins
By KAREN DAILY The Aiken County Sheriff's Office is asking the public not to hesitate in calling local law enforcement if they see suspicious activity in their neighborhoods as deputies attempt to curb the number of break-ins and home invasions occur ... full story

Incumbent Fleming to face ex-principal in school board race
All five School Board district races will be contested in the general election Nov. 2, including District 5's incumbent Ray Fleming, who will be challenged by former principal Eddie Watkins. Fleming, a retired SRS health physicist and manager, was a ... full story

Our new readers
DAUGHTER -- MACKENZIE GRACELYN BRUDER was born to Mr. and Mrs. Jarrod Matthew Bruder of North Augusta on June 24, 2010, at University Hospital, Augusta, Ga. At birth the baby weighed 6 pounds 14.5 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. Mrs. Bruder is the f ... full story

Boo, hiss for the Barefoot Bandit
"He robbed from the rich And he gave to the poor; He had a hand And a heart and a brain." - The Ballad of Jesse James Nineteen-year-old Colt Harris-Moore didn't have to give to the poor to parlay his string of robberies into folk heroi ... full story

Maedee Widener Johnson
VAUCLUSE -- Entered into eternal rest on Friday, July 23, 2010, Mrs. Maedee Widener Johnson, 88, of Vaucluse, wife of the late Ernest Johnson Jr. A celebration of her life service will be held today, Monday, July 26, 2010, at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of ... full story

Betty Jean Deese
GRANITEVILLE -- Funeral services for Mrs. Betty Jean Deese, 82, of Graniteville, who died Sunday, will be private. Visit www.hatcherfuneralhome.com to view the complete obituary and share memories of Mrs. Deese. Hatcher Funeral Home & Cremation S ... full story

Boyd - Jones engagement
Mr. and Mrs. David W. Conner of Hephzibah, Ga., and Mr. and Mrs. Randy A. Boyd of Aiken announce the engagement of their daughter, Shalene René Boyd of Aiken, to Christopher Grant Jones of Greenwood, a son of Paul and Debra Jones of Greenwood. ... full story

Falls - Brownlee wedding
Rhonda E. Barton Brownlee of Graniteville and James Alan Falls of Graniteville were married Saturday, July 17, 2010, in the Victorian Wedding Chapel. The Rev. Jerry Tindall officiated. The bride is a daughter of the late Gearld L. Barton and the la ... full story

Births for July 25
Courtney Heneghan and Fredrick Curry of Aiken announce the birth of their son, Marcus Jordan Curry, born June 29, 2010, at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. Grandparents are Angie and Tim Heneghan and Annie Maye Curry and Kcarl Hill, all of Aiken. Ma ... full story

TalkBack for July 25
Home invasions How to survive home invasions: Forget telling them that I'm calling the police; forget calling 911. Don't let them know you're home, wait until they come in and kill them! Problem solved. Good ol' S.C. Going back to the Civi ... full story

Luau marks end of summer camp
Gregg Park campers got to experience a little bit of Hawaii without ever leaving Graniteville. The children enjoyed a luau to wrap up this year's Gregg Park Summer Day Camp. The Beach Boys were echoing through the Civic Center gymnasium as the campe ... full story

Forrest G. Dixon
LANGLEY -- A Celebration of Life Service for SSG. Forrest G. "Sarge" Dixon, 80, United States Army retired, will be held today at 3 p.m. at Langley Pentecostal Holiness Church, Langley. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Graniteville. ... full story

Forrest G. Dixon
A Celebration of Life Service for SSG. Forrest G. "Sarge" Dixon, 80, United States Army retired, who died Thursday, husband of Jenell Palmer Dixon, will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. at Langley Pentecostal Holiness Church, Langley. Interment with full mil ... full story

Charles E. Napier
Entered into rest on Wednesday, July 21, 2010, Mr. Charles E. "Bucky" Napier of Graniteville. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Napier Funeral Home, 315 Main St., Graniteville. To sign the guest registry, log on to www.napierfuneralhome.com. full story

Local news in brief for July 24
Burglary suspect nabbed by police Shortly after issuing a press release with a photo of a burglary suspect accused of breaking into an Ascauga Lake Road home in early July, the suspect was taken into custody, officials said. Joseph Cameron Page, ... full story

Blotter for July 24
* A car break-in was reported Thursday at a Silver Bluff Road fitness center. The victim said that, between 11:50 a.m. and 1:20 p.m., his passenger door window had been broken out and his bag sitting on the floor was stolen. The vehicle was parked al ... full story

Laurie Bennett Jr.
Entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, July 21, 2010, Mr. Laurie H. "Bo" Bennett Jr., 75, of Graniteville, beloved husband for 27 years to Helen Mason Bennett. A celebration of his life service will be held today, Friday, July 23, 2010, at 2 p.m. in ... full story

Suspect sought in connection to burglaries
Aiken County Sheriff's Office investigators said the arrest of a Graniteville man may help solve a number of burglaries in the area. Deputies are seeking Joseph Cameron Page, 23, of 655 Rennie St. in Graniteville for first-degree burglary, grand lar ... full story

Religion briefs for July 23
Special services On Sunday, July 25, Aiken Unitarian Universalist Church will feature Andy Reese who will present "Is it OK to Not be Relevant?" Unitarian Universalism is a small and gradually shrinking religion in the United States. Yet in our are ... full story

Blotter for July 23
* A work trailer and a fuel tank with 100 gallons of diesel were reportedly stolen from a Graniteville property between Monday and Wednesday, according to police reports. * A car break-in was reported Wednesday at 1900 Roses Run. The victim said a G ... full story

Blotter for 7/22
* Aiken Public Safety is investigating an armed robbery reported Tuesday evening on Fairfield Street. The victim, a 55-year-old man, said he was walking home and was approached by two men. The two held him at gunpoint and demanded his wallet. The vic ... full story

Laurie H. 'Bo' Bennett Jr.
Entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, July 21, 2010, Mr. Laurie H. "Bo" Bennett Jr., 75, of Graniteville, beloved husband for 27 years to Helen Mason Bennett and son of the late Laurie H. Bennett Sr. and the late Lois Harden Bennett. In addition to ... full story

Seawell honored on eve of Palmetto Amateur
Jackie Seawell is as familiar to golf in Aiken as Bobby Jones is to the game in Augusta. A director of golf at Woodside, Houndslake and Sage Valley over the years, Seawell has helped in the development of more junior golfers than fingers and toes ca ... full story

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